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Tuesday, April 30, 2019

April Goes out with a Bang

I was so happy to have Punch back at school after 11 days that I walked over to Cafe Giotto and treated myself to a delicious lunch after volunteering a couple hours at the school library. So good, that tender, freshly baked focaccia--with neat rows of holes poked and filled with juicy cherry tomatoes, drizzled with fine olive oil--and an appetizer plate of arugula, creamy burrata and beautiful tomato slices. 

I did enjoy being back in the library again, stamping books with the Hillside name and address, pressing the due date marker into the black ink pad, gluing in paper pockets. One earnest boy took out a book about volcanos and another, a paperback about mummies. AND I checked out [it had to be under Punchy's name] The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. I love it. I'm halfway through and then will pass on to her.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET
  • Lillie Belle Farms, a wonderful chocolatier in Oregon, for 2 small bags Hippie Crunch [it's vegan, and Fig is cramming for exams, but one bag is for family to share] and one Dark Star 80 percent bean-to-bar very dark bar, plus almost $17 shipping, $36.92. Simply put, I cannot get out to the farm, so this time, I paid to ship the treats. SPLURGE for sure.
  • Cafe Giotto, fabulous fresh lunch plus bag of small almond biscotti, plus tip, $34.
  • Cafe Giotto, that tomato focaccia was so good, I got the last piece to bring home to Dan. With tip, $4.50.
  • CVS, organic milk, Fairlife chocolate milk and small Dawn dish sop, $10.04.
  • CVS, bath salts and two bottles body wash, $15.22.
  • Starbucks, our internet was down and had to come here to send an article back to editor. Internet is back up now. Reusable water cup with straw and PB Perfect Bar, $6.88.
TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $107.56.
MONTHLY SPEND AS OF APRIL 30: $3,634.28.
AVERAGE DAILY SPEND THIS MONTH: $121.14.
I will break down the categories tomorrow.

Big-ticket April spends [numbers rounded off]. 
Aren't you sick of hearing about that $79 lamp and $55 hand cream by now? But it really helped me to see my list of luxuries every night, to keep my eye on the ball and not feel deprived.

Lamp, $79; luxe hand cream, $55; Giotto dinner to go + jar of imported Italian artichokes, $46; dog groomer/beauty salon, $75; vet for hamster, $157; necklace extension/repair/new clasp, $128; blowout, $55; Over the Moon, bday gifts for Punch friend + book for me, $60; Kings groceries, $132; liquor store, $32; bra/underwear/tights, $126; Joyist, $39 one day while working on assignments there; second blowout w service tips, $52; Punchy, Lululemon, $28; Justice, bday gifts and gift bag/pink tissue for Punch friend + shorts for Punch + $2 donation at register, $58; Kings groceries, $63; Joyist, $25 one day while working on deadlines; bike delivery, $35; Whole Foods, $69; CVS & Kings, Easter gifts/basket treats [counting lemon curd for tarts], $97; zoo day and lunch, spring break, $42; A.C. apps + drinks, treat Mimi & Poppy, $85; A.C. pretty lilac drape-neck top, $49; A.C. breakfast, treat Mimi + Poppy, $55; A.C. Skechers flip-flops, $35; A.C. sushi dinner, split bill, $52; Sis bday cards + gift, $35; Joyist, counting body oil, $71; Williams-Sonoma, gifts plus, $55; Kings, Sis bday lunch of caviar/blini/lox/small layer cake etc., $113; Whole Foods, a lot of groceries, including scallops and lox, $201; Lillie Belle Farms chocolate order, $37; Cafe Giotto, lunch and bag of small biscotti, $34. Steep subtotal of $2,275.

MONEY THOUGHTS: Like I said, I was like a bird who broke free from a cage....and gobbled up some luxury bird seed.

keeping my eye on
TOTAL APRIL SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,634.28.
MY TOTAL MARCH SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $4,128.41.
TOTAL FEBRUARY SPEND OUT OF POCKET: $3,159.25.

2 comments:

  1. Woo hoo! Got to put together toiletries in morning, but have extra pair of shoes, 2 pair pants, pajamas, exercise wear, several tops In a small bag. Kinda fun trying to put together multiple outfits with scarves and switching around. Remember those articles- 5 pieces make a million outfits? Aspirational! I have a million pieces of clothing and often can’t make one outfit! We are checked in to fly to Boston in the morning, hang at my moms, head to airport and Ireland in the evening. Stopped paper, talked to credit card company, sent email to Irish cousins. Need to pick out a paperback and pack my chargers! So very excited! Btw, touched you remembered to look at 100 dresses, love that book.
    Liz

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    1. Liz, so happy and excited for you. Oh, breathe it in, girl--I so want to go. Report back. You are such a hard worker....you deserve it....that rolling green, those Irish brogues, hot tea.....whatever you love...Alice. safe trip! p.s. I love the book and the illustrations are just breathtaking...whole thing, wow...I do want to own a copy, though...you did encourage me to check it out of the library but I am a rascal at heart....this library book will have to go back...I love that it's old and has the handwritten names of lots of girls who checked the book out from 1981 onward...if they were about 10 then, they would be 38 now, maybe with girls of their own...xo

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